The X-ray source device to which the present invention relates is of a relatively small and often portable variety and is to be distinguished in terms of size, power output and pulsed rather than continuous wave output from the large radiology equipment typically used in hospitals for diagnostic examination of the human body. The X-ray source device to which the present invention relates is typically and particularly usable in connection with veterinarian diagnosis, concealed package examination, bomb and weapon detection systems in airports, and in any other application where a small, transportable and easily operated device is required. It may, of course, be used for examination of humans as well.
Prior art X-ray source devices of the relatively small and transportable type typically comprise an X-ray tube of the cold cathode type, a high voltage generator in the form of a spiral capacitor and a trigger device which, when actuated, applies a short duration pulse of electrical energy from the generator to the X-ray tube. Some prior art devices include means for selecting the number of output pulses to be generated during a given examination process, the number of pulses selected typically being a function of the depth and difficulty of X-ray penetration in the device being examined. A fully portable device typically comprises all of the above-named components arranged in a relatively small package having suitable protection against radiation and high voltage leakage and, in addition, a power supply including a battery and a dc to ac converter to energize the high voltage generator.
As will be understood by those familiar with the X-ray art, the X-ray source devices are usable with various types of image gathering apparatus including simple photographic plates, fluoroscopes, etc.
The small, transportable X-ray devices of the prior art present a certain number of deficiencies particularly with respect to the uniformity of the X-ray output; i.e., the pulses of electromagnetic energy are neither uniform in power level nor in distribution or pattern. In addition, the prior art devices exhibit short tube life, low efficiency, cumbersome packaging and a tendency toward internal destruction from high voltage leakage and corona effects. Thus, there exists a need for a substantially improved X-ray source device of the small transportable type so as to eliminate the numerous significant problems of the prior art.